I am so happy to finally announce this project which has been 5 months in the making!

From October 15th to December 31 we will be voting for our favorite YA books of 2016. The judges listed below will then read and judge the top 3 books from each category and in a live show we will discuss and vote for our favorites! The dates for the live shows are to be determined!

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Title: The NoviceAuthor: Taran MatharuRating: 4/5 StarsGenre: YA FantasyPublisher: Feiwel and FriendsPublication Date: May 5, 2015Hardcover: 398 pagesStand Alone or Series: First in a SeriesHow did I get this book: Free In Exchange for an honest reviewFormat: HardcoverWhy did I read this book: I have had my eye on this beautiful cover for a while but when I got the chance to review The Novice and its sequel The Inquisition I was ecstatic!!

When blacksmith apprentice Fletcher discovers that he has the ability to summon demons from another world, he travels to Adept Military Academy. There the gifted are trained in the art of summoning. Fletcher is put through grueling training as a battlemage to fight in the Hominum Empire’s war against orcs. He must tread carefully while training alongside children of powerful nobles. The power hungry, those seeking alliances, and the fear of betrayal surround him. Fletcher finds himself caught in the middle of powerful forces, with only his demon Ignatius for help.

As the pieces on the board maneuver for supremacy, Fletcher must decide where his loyalties lie. The fate of an empire is in his hands. The Novice is the first in a trilogy about Fletcher, his demon Ignatius, and the war against the Orcs.

​“A warrior's greatest enemy can also be his greatest teacher.”

"The men and women who rise to greatness are the risk takers, the gamblers. Those who take all or nothing.”

Review

The Novice is as Epic a fantasy can get! With major similarities to the legend J.R.R. Tolkien any Fantasy buff with find this very enjoyable! The dialogue, and action scenes reminded me a lot of video games which could go really bad or extremely awesome The Novice obviously tilted toward the latter. I was exciting to the very end! Unlike most Fantasy this book had short chapters so while there was world building and lots of activities I didn't seem overwhelmed.

When the description mentioned summoning demons I had visions of gigantic hell beasts and lots of blood and gore but it wasn't like that at all. The demons are more like pokemon caught and used in battle but treated as pets and loved members of the family. A summoner is hugely connected to its demon both physically and mentally it takes a toll on the summoner if his demon dies or is injured. Learning about the different types of demons and what powers they have was probably one of the more enjoyable parts to the book.

After Fletcher realized he is a summoner he heads to the Academy where the school is divided by commoners and the nobles. I have never been a fan of the class differences troupe but Matharu executes it very well. I hate comparing books to other books but the academy is basically a magic school (among other things) so any fan of Harry Potter will love this! The magic system is brutal at times but beautiful and unique!

My dislikes were minimal but I would have like more showing and less telling when it cam to world building. There was a bit of info dumping that I think could have been done a bit better and the writing techniques were not the best but I halfway expect that from someones debut novel.

Final Thoughts

I loved this high fantasy adventure! All debut novels have their problems but Matharu's characters and magic system make up for that entirely!

Title: The Murder ComplexAuthor: Lindsay CummingsRating: 4/5 StarsGenre: Disopian YAPublisher: Greenwilow BooksPublication Date: June 10, 2014Hardcover: 298 pagesStand Alone or Series: First in a seriesHow did I get this book: LibraryFormat: HardcoverWhy did I read this book: One of my best friends raved about this book for the longest time and the plot seemed interesting!

First Sentence

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and The Bookish! Today's topic is a fun one but one that really made me think about the history of the genre and how that history has impacted the genre we have today!! What 10 books would be on your syllabus if you taught XYZ Genre 101. Welcome to. . .

YA/MG Fantasy 101

I did have to do some digging and research to really find out what books really carved the way for modern day YA fantasy this was one of the hardest topics ever on TTT but I love a challenge!!

Read the description here. I gave this book a solid 5/5 Stars! With some awesome 80's pop culture references, the slightest (but cutest) love story, and an epic plot this story is a sure winner with most people. I do not think I have heard one negative review and for good reason! The main character Wade is intelligent, witty, and extremely motivated to win the prize and make life better for himself! Even if you were not raised in the 80's (I wasn't) or if you do not particularly like video games you will still enjoy this book!

14. The Help by Kathryn Stockett Thiswas the best book to movie adaptation I was this year not to mention the book was fanfrickingtastic!!! This book made me laugh more than any other book I read this year it was entertaining and gave me insight on a time period that is so important to know about!! I wish I could read this book again for the first time! If you have not read this book yet refer to gif below!